Rajinikanth

Why Famous:Regarded as the most popular south Indian film actor, Rajinikanth serves as a major influence on the Tamil film industry and on politics in the Tamil states of India. He began acting in the early 1970s while working as a bus conductor.

Notable film roles include Baashha (1995), Muthu (1995) and Enthiran (2010). In addition to numerous other awards and records he was the first Indian actor to have appeared in four forms of cinema: world cinema: black-and-white, colour, 3D and motion capture.

After having a long association with south Indian politics, Rajinikanth announced in 2017 he would enter the 2021 election in Tamil Nadu state, contesting all seats. He has pledged to resign in three years if his party does not achieve its goals.